Darkened Days Ahead
by Nyoko
Summary: A what if story. What if Harry Potter wasn't who he seemed. No Spoilers of the fifth book.


Harry sat motionless as Uncle Vernon drove to Number four Privit drive. Dudley sat as close to his window as he could and as far away from Harry as possible. Harry sat frozen watching the scenery fly past. He was remembering the events of the third task of the Tri Wizard Tournament. Harry cried silent tears remembering Cedric's death and seeing the memories of his father and mother before he escaped to Hogwarts with Cedric's body. He soon cried himself to sleep. Even his dreams haunted him of that day. Harry envisioned Voldemort's return to power all over again in his mind.  
  
Later, Harry woke with a start as the Dursley's car pulled into Number four Privit Drive. Harry yawned and walked out of the car stretching his stiff legs. Uncle Vernon had already started unloading the car, but just set Harry's school things on the ground beside the car. Harry walked toward them as a brown barn owl dropped a small bundle of letters on top of his trunk.  
  
Harry stooped and picked it up. The first note was from Dumbledore the larger set of letters to his Aunt and Uncle. Harry took the letters, his trunk, and Hedwig's empty cage inside. He handed the letters to Uncle Vernon. Harry lugged his trunk up the stairs into his room.  
  
Minutes later, he came down where Uncle Vernon was waiting for him. "Sit." Uncle Vernon said while pointing to the couch. Harry did what he was told while uncle Vernon continued, his face purpling. "We have received a letter from your head master, Professor. Professor."  
  
"Dumbledore" said Harry.  
  
"Yes, well he has informed me of the events that have taken place at your. school.lately. He is highly concerned for your safety. I don't know why he is though. He has sent some safety procedures. Every two weeks, a professor from your.school.will come to check on you and the five kilometer radius around this house."  
  
"I," said Harry defiantly, "am not a little child and I don't need my professors checking on me!" Uncle Vernon quickly left the room, and then Harry fell back into the couch.  
  
The two weeks passed quickly. Harry sat doing his Transfiguration homework, (write a 10 inch essay on the importance of Animagi.) Harry pushed it aside and started reading his favorite book, 'Quidditch Through the Ages', until there was a knock at the door. Harry opened the door surprised to see Professor McGonagall wearing a long dark navy dress that a muggle schoolteacher would wear.  
  
"Professor!" Harry exclaimed. Harry blurted "What."  
  
"What am I doing here? It's been two weeks!"  
  
"Oh, it has, huh." Dudley attempted to dash for the kitchen, but failed, tripping and falling down the stairs.  
  
"Is he." My cousin Dudley is afraid of full grown wizards and witches."  
  
"Quidditch Through The Ages!"  
  
"Yes, it's my favorite book."  
  
"I can't wait until next years Gryffindor's win!"  
  
"Me too! I can't practice here! It is another reason I can't wait for the school year to begin."  
  
"I must be off!" Harry led McGonagall to the door as she turned into a cat. "Unless I see you before, I hope you will have a wonderful holiday for once."  
  
"Thank you Professor" Harry closed the door behind her. He walked up the stairs, retreating to his bedroom. Before closing the door, Harry called out to Dudley's room, "She's hone, you can come out now!"  
  
Dudley walked coolly out to the hall past Harry's room. "I wasn't scared Potter, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I think you were. How else would you get dust in your hair?"  
  
Dudley walked away, or waddled, what ever you want to call it, to the kitchen. Dudley was still on a diet, but not one as harsh as the summer before. The weeks passed on at Number Four Privit drive. Harry became more secretly depressed. He had sent letters to Sirius, but the only replies were short and written in quick hand. Also, in his mind, he was beginning to think he was the cause of Cedric's death and even knew that his mother would still be alive.  
  
Harry sat in the living room reviewing One-Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. Then, a crisp knock came to the door. Harry set the book down and walked up to the door. At the other side was Professor Snape. Harry silently groaned. Instead of the normal black robes, he wore a high collared shirt with jeans, of course in black.  
  
"Potter. Sit." Harry did what he was told and Snape continued. "I'm working as a spy for Dumbledore. We have learned of the Dark Lord's Forces moving fortunately away from here, although the movement is unknown, we know the reason is for you." Harry didn't know how to respond to some thing like that, so he sat there blinking. "Potter, I am going to check around the house and in every room since McGonagall did not." Harry nodded. "Potter, tell me what room is what."  
  
Every thing went well until it came to Dudley's room.  
  
"Wait." Harry said.  
  
"Why?" said Snape.  
  
"Just believe me" Harry opened the door to find all three of the Dursley's huddled in a corner of the room. Harry tried not to laugh as he told the Dursley's  
  
"Professor Snape requests to check this room."  
  
"Potter! I want to view this room then return to Hogwarts! Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes Professor!" Harry said but slipped out a laugh.  
  
"Potter! That will be a detention and 15 points from Gryffindor!"  
  
"First, I wasn't laughing at you professor, and second, you can't hive me a detention or take away house points since it is summer."  
  
Snape walked into the room and took a couple of glances around. "Potter, when the term starts, you will stay after my potions class and arrange your detention details."  
  
Snape then dissapperated on the spot, leaving Harry making fun of Snape. "We'll arrange your detention" As if potions will be easy enough! I already got Snape on my case." Said Harry as he walked out the door.  
  
Several weeks later, Professor Flitwick arrived for a visit with out any trouble. Only a week after was Harry's Birthday. Three owls swooped into his room that afternoon. One was from Hogwarts, one from Hermione, and another from all of the Weasleys.  
  
He opened Hermione's to find a note and Hogwarts, a History. Harry set it aside and pulled up the Wesley's present. It was pounds of home made chocolates and candy. Harry took the packages from Hogwarts, and opened them. He took the supply list and emptied the envelope. There was a small 'thunk', and he looked down at the desk to find a prefect badge. Harry took it and pinned it on his t-shirt. Harry set aside the rock cakes from Hagrid. Surprisingly, there was a package from Dumbledore. A note was on the package that read: "Your mother left these at Hogwarts before she died. It was time they be returned to you."  
  
Harry opened it eagerly and found his mother's diary. Harry paged through it and stopped at October 31. 'October 31st Today I went to Hogsmeade to get a few things, this and that. Or at least, that is what I told James. The last few days, I've been feeling, strange. I went to the doctor, and I'm going to have a baby and I know the father isn't James.' Harry stopped reading, his heart pounding as he just finished the words 'the father isn't James.' Harry noticed that towards the back, a paper was sticking out.  
  
He opened it to that page, and read the entry. 'July 2nd I am putting Harry's real birth certificate here. If James ever knew that he wasn't the father, it would break him. I made a false certificate and it is now in Harry's baby book. The world will know him as Harry James Potter, but his real name will be.'  
  
Harry couldn't read the rest, and he pulled out the certificate. It read,  
  
|Certificate of Birth | |Mother: Lily Marie Potter | |Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle | |Name: Alexander Delano Riddle |  
  
"No" Harry whispered "No!" Harry yelled, "It can't be! No! He. can't my father!"  
  
Harry dropped the paper as Dudley waddled in the room; saw it as a good way to irritate Harry. He saw the paper that Harry dropped and stooped to read it. He looked wide eyed at Harry, who had become a limp mass on the floor and had started crying.  
  
Dudley must've told Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, for soon Uncle Vernon was at his door. "Well, is there anything troubling Mr. RIDDLE?"  
  
Harry looked into his uncle's eyes and had a swarm of emotions run through him. Harry ripped the lamp out of the wall and threw it in the general direction of Uncle Vernon. The door was quickly shut, but he could still hear the three Dursley's outsider his room.  
  
Harry looked over at the floor where the words 'Alexander Delano Riddle' stuck out like burning flame. He was a living lie. For his whole life, he was actually someone else. Harry had remembered what the sorting hat had told him. 'You would do great in Slytherin' over and over in his mind.  
  
So. how do you like it? I need your reviews to help me on. Yes, I like all of the reviews that I get, but I would really like it if someone will review and tell me if I am doing anything wrong in my writing. Grammar isn't my strongest subject, so I need some help every once and a while.  
  
Is anyone interested in being my beta reader? You won't have a lot of work to do, if you get one thing from me in a few months, that's about how frequently I update. Contact me by e-mail at: nyoko_of_water@hotmail.com.  
  
As always questions and comments are always welcomed! I will even accept large amounts of criticism, because there isn't a lot I haven't heard before, and I can deal with it. 


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